A Place To Call Home
by Baine
Summary: Orphaned as a child, Chiba Mamoru must learn to accept the world round him and come into his own as a young adult. Will he succumb to loneliness or will his klutzy neighbor help show him what life is really about? ON HOLD FOR REVISION.
1. *PART ONE*

A PlaceTo Call Home  
Part One  
By Bonnie-chan  
Email: hunniebunny@aol.com  
Web page: http://www.sailormoonrose.mirrorz.com  
Today is September4, 2001  
  
DISCLAIMER: Unfortunately, Sailor Moon does not belong to me…a fact that has made mecry several times. However, this storyDOES belong to me…and so do all of the characters that I made up! (Trust me, you'll know who they are!!!)  
I really wantto thank Zan-chan, my editor for this story….I owe you SO much, you have NO idea!! Without you, I'd probably still be sitting here fretting over my story not being good enough!!!  
I'd also liketo thank Siggy for all of her support…it's because of you this is out now instead of in a few weeks ya know…you made me get up off my lazy butt and clean this up to make it presentable…now you'd better keep up your end of the deal and get the next part of your story out this week!!! (and if any of you want to read her story, just go to my web page! I made a special page just for her!)  
Nikki-chan…you are amazing, thanks for helping me get my page together and making my banner,button, etc…you're amazing, and I have that page waiting for you as soon as you're ready to post!!  
I'd also like to thank Steph, because she managed to figure out why my page wouldn't post and fix the problem! Thanks so much, I owe ya big time!  
And check out my web page to see the page I made for Chelle! She's an awesome writer that I've recently begun beta-ing for (is that even a word?)…You have to check out her story "Motoki Finds Out"….it'sabsolutely ADORABLE! I love it!!  
  
Thanks to all of you for your dedication, love and support! You're all the greatest, and I love you to pieces!  
Questions, comments? Email me here: hunniebunny@aol.com…and whether you liked it or hated it, could you pretty please send me feedback? I'm majoring in writing, and any type of feedback helps! Constructive criticism,a note telling me it was good, or even bad..whatever! I'd really appreciate it!   
Oh, and if you want to be the first to know when I'm going to post the next part of my story, subscribe to my list here:   
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Sailor_Moon_Rose_Updates  
This is an update only list. But I also have a list for everyone to joinin and talk or post fanfics! It's:  
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Sailor_Moon_Rose  
  
Now, on with the story!  
  
  
A PlaceTo Call Home  
Part One  
  
  
Your parents are dead.  
Dead.  
Dead.  
  
The young boy looked up at the grim doctor standing before him with watery blue eyes for what seemed like an eternity with pain-filled eyes that were never meant to be bestowed on an innocent six-year old before sealing them tightly, blocking the world from view, but not the harsh words which continued to tear their way into his soul.  
Dead.  
Dead.  
His parents had just died in a car accident, yet Chiba Mamoru could not properly mourn their untimely demise, for he could not even remember what his parents looked like. Sure, the news was devastating and made him cry, but at the same time he couldn't help but feel hollow inside. Chiba Mamoru may have been the accident's soul survivor, yet the memories of his past had died with his parents, for Chiba Mamoru had acute amnesia.  
*****  
  
"Come play dodge ball with us, Mamoru!"  
A gangly boy with ebony hair that drooped into his cerulean eyes glanced up at the stocky, red-haired boy standing before him with vacant eyes.  
"I can't, Matsumi, I'm sorry."  
"What's more important than dodge ball, Mamoru?" His lip curled derisively as he stared down at the book lying in his peer's lap. "You're studying again?"  
"If I don't study, I'll go insane."  
"But it's so boring!"  
"It keeps my mind off of things."  
"Like what?"  
"Life."  
"The orphanage isn't such a bad place, Mamoru. You've been here a whole year now, and you've never given it, or us, a chance!"  
"How can I give a chance to a place devoid of love, of warmth, of cheer and happiness?"  
"You get used to it. If you don't, it will break you in the end."  
Mamoru looked solemnly up at the older boy standing before him. "Maybe it already has."  
*****  
  
You've been with us for six years now, Mamoru, and you've been in and out of as many foster homes." A tall woman with chocolate brown hair twisted into an elegant bun stopped pacing in front of her desk and turned to face the sulking boy slouched in her chair. "You need to open up to people, Mamoru, show them who you are inside. You can't stay closed up forever." Her eyes softened as she looked down at him. "I've found another family willing to take you in. The woman is very sweet, and her husband seems incredibly kind and caring. They have a son who is twelve, the same age as you! They also have a daughter who's ten. What do you think, Mamoru? Will you give this family a chance?"  
He looked at her calmly. "Miss Yammada, my birthday was last month. I'm thirteen now. I'm not a little boy anymore."  
"No, you're not. You're a teenager now, and you're becoming a very clever young man right before my eyes. You're a truly gifted young man, Mamoru, and I have enjoyed watching you grow up. I just wish that you would open up more, let the real you hiding deep inside finally come out."  
"I'll go, Miss Yammada." He smiled ruefully. "But only for you."  
*****  
  
"Hello, Mamoru, welcome to your new home! I am Yui, and this is my husband Keiyu." A lady with shoulder-length, sunshine-blond hair smiled down at the solemn boy standing before her. The tall,red-haired man standing beside her scratched his fuzzy beard as he cleared his throat and led everyone into the living room, where two children sat on a faded green couch. The girl's face was smattered with freckles, and her dark red hair as pulled into two short pigtails on each side of her head. She quickly stood up and straightened her cream-colored sundress, her hand lingering over the dark brown stain at her hem. She smiled nervously as she fidgeted with her hem.   
The boy she had been sitting beside took his time standing up. He slowly walked towards Mamoru until he was standing right in front of him. His warygreen eyes stared through Mamoru as he assessed the new addition to his family. "My name is Motoki." He nodded curtly towards his sister. "That's Unazuki. We've decided that we're not going to be sympathetic towards you just because you're an orphan. You have to earn our respect, our trust, just like we have to earn yours." He caught his mother's disapproving glare and quickly added, "I'm not trying to be mean, I just wanted to let you know where we stand early on so that there will be no mixed feelings later."  
"I understand,and I agree with you-it's very important to know where you stand with people from the start."  
The two boys held each other's gaze as they took each other in and assessed one another, mirror images of each other only in thoughts.  
*****  
  
A year passed by, and Mamoru was still with the Furahata family, happier then he could remember ever being. After about a month, the ice surrounding Mamoru and Motoki melted, and from the water there emerged a solid friendship that would last for years.  
Unazuki was constantly badgering the older boys with impossible questions, but he was still fond of her, even though she pestered him to no end and often chewed away ate the last of his nerves.  
Mamoru found Yui and Keiyu to be incredibly caring and kind-Yui even went out of her way to make him sunny-side up eggs and toast every morning after inadvertently discovering his passion for the meal, knowing that it was one small thing she could do to brighten up his life.  
However, all good things must eventually come to an end, as was the case for Mamoru. One afternoon when the three children came home from school, they found a solemn-looking Keiyu sitting in the living room with Yui and a composed young woman in her late twenties. He looked up as they entered the room, his calm mask shattering as it was replaced by lines of worry.   
"Motoki, Unazuki…" He paused to take a deep breath before continuing. "Grandma Yulsi had a stroke today. It left her paralyzed and she can no longer fend for herself. I've talked it over with your mother, and we have decided to move in with your grandma to take care of her." His eyes rested on Mamoru, and they saddened, shining with unshed tears. "Mamoru…you've been like a second son to us…but because you are a ward of Osaka, you are not permitted to live out of boundaries…We're moving out near Tokyo, which has about 1/3 the entire length of Japan between it and Osaka. I'm so sorry, Mamoru, but…we can not bring you with us."  
With these words, Mamoru's life changed once more, this time taking a turn for the worst.  
*****  
That's all for now! You can email me at hunniebunny@aol.com. You can also visit my web page at www.sailormoonrose.mirrorz.com,  
and if you want to be the first to know when I'm going to post the next part of my story, subscribe to my list here:   
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Sailor_Moon_Rose_Updates  
This is an update only list. But I also have a list for everyone to join in and talk or post fanfics! It's:  
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Sailor_Moon_Rose  
  
-¦- *:*.  
-¦- : * -¦-   
.' *  
*:. . *  
-¦- -¦-  
( Y ) ()_() *Bonnie-Chan*  
( )( )   
("(_o_)(_o_)") 


	2. *PART TWO*

A Place To Call Home  
Part Two  
By Bonnie-chan  
Email: hunniebunny@aol.com  
Web page: www.sailormoonrose.mirrorz.html  
Today is September 4, 2001  
  
DISCLAIMER: What? Sailor Moon belongs to me? You really think I'm that good? Wow! But, alas, that's not the case, for Sailor Moon was created by the incredible Naoko-hime and not me   
:::sniff sniff::: Besides, I'd just mess up her brilliant masterpiece and you wouldn't want that, now would you? ((though I'd also make Mamoru/Darien a little bit more romantic in the anime!!!)) However, this story DOES belong to me…and so do all of the characters that I made up! (Trust me, you'll know who they are!!!)  
I have a long list of thank yous, but they are all in the first chapter and it would be redundant to repeat them, ya know?  
Oh, but I do want to say, go to Lianne Sentar's web page,  
http://members.tripod.com/~Lianne_Sentar/   
and read her stuff! She's an amazing writer, and the sweetest person you will ever meet! Lianne, I'm just sorry your article got all messed up! Now that I'm in college, I'm going to try and write a better one, okay? I still feel really bad about the hack job the editors did to it!  
Questions, comments? Email me here: hunniebunny@aol.com…and whether you liked it or hated it, could you pretty please send me feedback? I'm majoring in writing, and any type of feedback helps! Constructive criticism,a note telling me it was good, or even bad..whatever! I'd really appreciate it!   
Oh, and if you want to be the first to know when I'm going to post the next part of my story, subscribe to my list here:   
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Sailor_Moon_Rose_Updates  
This is an update only list. But I also have a list for everyone to joinin and talk or post fanfics! It's:  
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Sailor_Moon_Rose  
  
Now, on with the story!  
A Place To Call Home  
Part Two  
  
"You ungrateful little jerk! Here we are, reaching out to you, giving you food, clothes, shelter…and you dare to act better then us!?" A tall, carrot-haired man loomed before Mamoru and snatched the book from his hands, hurling it into the wall behind Mamoru's head. It's time you showed some respect around here, boy!" He took another swig of the beer in his left hand and glowered at Mamoru. "You're more trouble then you're worth, you know that? You've been here for close to a year now, and you still don't know your place! It's time I gave you another lesson." He placed his empty can on the coffee table beside him, then slowly took off his belt and snapped it in his hands. Before he could advance towards Mamoru, the doorbell rang. The man swore under his breath, threw his belt onto a nearby chair, and headed towards the door.  
Mamoru stood still, his blue eyes lifeless, and listened to the voices that floated into theroom from the hallway.  
"Don't you even have the decency to call first?"  
"I'm sorry, Mr. Kariakas, but I have some important news to share with both you and Mamoru that can't wait. Where is Mamoru, anyway?"  
"He's in the parlor."  
The heavy thumping of shoes on the linoleum brought Mamoru back to reality and he braced himself as the man re-entered the room, followed by Miss Yammada.  
"It's good tosee you again, Mamoru."  
"It's good tosee you, too."  
"Have things been going well for you?"  
"Yes, they have."  
She came and stood before him, then gasped as she took in his black and blue eye, and the red welt on his left cheek. "Mamoru, what happened!?"  
"I got tackled playing football at school."  
"I'll say you did! Boys your age can be sobrutal…" She shook her headsympathetically. "Make sure you keep alot of ice on it, okay?" She smiled asshe watched him nod his head. "Good. Now, guess what? I have good news for you! It turns out that you have a family after all! Your mother's father-your grandfather-has recently stepped forward to claim you! Isn't that wonderful, Mamoru? You're no longer an orphan, a ward of Osaka! You never have to stay with another foster family again!" She turned to the man beside her. "The court has already arranged all of the details, Mr. Kariakas, and Mamoru's grandfather is very anxious to meet him."  
"I'll go pack his things."  
She laughed in surprise. "Why, he doesn't have to leave right now!"  
"It would be easier then saying goodbye would be." He stared darkly at Mamoru. "Don't you agree, Mamoru?"  
"Of course."  
"Well, if you say so…" Miss Yammada stared at Mamoru uncertainly for a moment before smiling again. "So, are you excited, Mamoru?"  
"Words don't even begin to express what I'm feeling, Miss Yammada." He managed to smile at the lady who was beaming at him as though he had won the lottery.  
"Trust me, Mamoru, I know exactly how you feel, and I am as speechless as you are!"  
*****  
  
Mamoru stared solemnly out the car window at the buildings that continued to fly by him.  
"I bet you're wondering why it took me eight years to come and get you, right? I don't blame you for being resentful and angry, even for hating me. I can't even begin to imagine what your life must have been like. I'm sure that you weren't as happy as you could have been."  
Mamoru turned his head to assess the silver-haired man sitting beside him, then turned back to the window without saying a word.  
"The truth is, Mamoru, I didn't even know that you existed until recently." He pulled his car over to the side of the road and turned towards him. "You see, twenty years ago when your mother fell in love with your father, I forbade their relationship. He was a dreamer-He wanted to be a poet! That's all that he wanted to do with his life. I didn't want my daughter to wind up impoverished, so I banned her from seeing him. Instead of listening to me, she snuck around behind my back. When I found out, I was furious. After a particularly gruesome fight when she declared that she loved him and was going to marry him, I told her that if she continued to see this man, I would no longer consider her to be my daughter she was so mad at me that she ran out of the house and never looked back. Thatwas the last I ever saw of my baby girl, and I have regretted it every day of my life. I never knew I had a grandson-Heck, I never even knew that my own daughter had died! How could I have, when she didn't have any existing records to connect her to her past?"  
"Then how did you find out about me?" Mamoru's voice sounded strange to his own ears, as it was the first time he had spoken in the hours that they had been driving.  
His grandfather smiled faintly. "It was through fate, believe it or not. Lady Destiny decided that it was time for me to come to terms with my past and embrace it." His eyes glazed over as the memory of what had occurred enveloped him, and he became lost in his thoughts.  
"I play bingo down at the Juuban Community Center every week, and I'm always meeting interesting people there. One night, I met a lady named Matsi, and we became fast friends. One night, she invited me over to her house to have dinner and meet her daughter's family. So I went over to her house, and after dinner we sat around in the parlor and got to know one another better. I was just glancing around the room, and taking everything in, and this one picture just caught my eye. She had pictures all over the place, on shelves, furniture, you name it. I'm not sure why the picture stood out; maybe it was the way the sun was shining that day or something, I don't know. The picture was in the middle of this one collage of photos on the wall beside me, and I turned my head to get a better look. It was a cute picture that was only a couple of years old, but it looked much older than that, I guess because the children have grown up so much in such a short amount of time."   
He shook his head. "Anyway, I'm going off-topic again, sorry. I have a tendency to do that. So, where was I? Ah, yes, the picture. It had been taken at the beach-the first thing I noticed was this huge sandcastle. Standing before it stood three wet, sandy children. I recognized two of them as Matsi's grandchildren, but I didn't recognize the third child. I asked Matsi about it, but she just shrugged her shoulders. Her daughter came over to where we were sitting and took the collage into her hands. A small smile flitted across her face and her eyes glazed over in remembrance. She told me a story about a foster boy her family had taken in before they moved to Juuban. At first, that's all it was to me-a story. I started at the name Chiba-I hadn't heard it in years! However, Chiba is a common name, so I didn't place my daughter with the name until she mentioned your parents, and told me about the tragic accident they had died in when you were only six years old. I was shocked, needless to say. I wasn't ready to accept that this was my daughter we had been talking about. I did a bit of research, and lo and behold, it was my daughter who had died, and her son was the sole survivor, being bounced around from foster family to foster family, which is no way to live. I went to the court of Osaka and battled fiercely to gain custody of you. You weren't told in advance because nobody wanted to upset you or pull you into the messy court battle.   
"To make a long story short, I won the battle, gained custody of my only grandchild, and brought you home with me."  
"You're friends with the Furuhata family?"  
"Yes, I am."  
"Would I…" Mamoru licked his lips nervously. "Would I be able to go withyou someday when you visit them?"  
"Of course,Mamoru! Everybody is looking forward to seeing you, and they're all so thrilled that you finally have a place to call home! Motoki especially is thrilled with the knowledge that he's going to see his 'almost-brother' again soon-No lie,that's what he called you. We can drop off your suitcase at home and then go visit, if you'd like to."  
"Really?"  
"Mm-hmm…but first we have to stop at the store and get you some decent clothing-I can't believe the filth that man made you wear! I also can't believe the Court allowed you to stay with him for a whole year! He tsked and glanced at Mamoru out of the corner of his eye before turning the key in the ignition and resuming the journey to Juuban.  
*****   
"Hello, Nakamura and Chiba Residence."  
"Hello, this is Dr. Kismet from the Juuban Hospital. May I please speak with Nakamura Yoki?"  
"Yes, of course. I'll go get him, hold on." Mamoru lowered the small black phone from hisear and went into the living room.   
"Dr. Kismet is on the phone, Grandfather." He handed the phone to the elderly man and sat on the edge of the coffee table, where he watched his grandfather anxiously until he was off of the phone. "What did he have to say?"  
"Mamoru…"  
"Yes,Grandfather?"  
"I'm dying."  
"What?"  
"You know how I had my yearly physical recently? Well, Dr. Corsaine was concerned about the problems I've been having with my respiratory system, so he sent me to Dr. Kismet to get some special testsdone. The results just came in, and it turns out that I have cancer."  
"Cancer?" Mamoru blinked and stared at his grandfather.  
"Lung cancer, to be precise." He laughed mirthlessly. "The ironic part is thatit's not even from smoking-I've never allowed that filth near my body."  
"Grandfather…"   
"It's alright, Mamoru, I know how you feel. You don't have to say anything at all. It's a pretty awkward situation, though, don't you think?"  
"Yeah. Will you be getting chemo or radiation?"   
"No, the cancer has already begun to spread. They can stop the spread through treatment, but it's too late to save me. I'd rather spend the rest of my time here with you instead of in a dinky old hospital." He smiled whimsically. "This will be hard on you, won't it? It took us a year to get used to one another, and another year to get into the comfortable routine we have now. Two years isn't nearly enough time, but it's better then to have never met you at all, don't you think?"   
"Yeah." Mamoru frowned and fiddled with his suit jacket. "We should probably stay home tonight and rest instead of going out to celebrate your birthday."  
"Nonsense, I'm not dead yet!" His eyes roved over his grandson's tense face, and he smiled tenderly. Unlike you, I still have to get ready for tonight. Why don't you go for a walk, maybe go visit Motoki at the arcade?"  
"In other words, get out of your hair before I drive you crazy." Mamoru smiled as he headed for the door. "I'll be back soon, grandfather. Have fun getting ready!" He smiled and left the room, softly shutting the door behind him.  
Mamoru wandered aimlessly through downtown Juuban until he reached the Crown Arcade,where he stared vacantly through the window at Motoki, who was helping a girl with curly red hair play the latest Sailor V game. He lowered his hand from where it had beenresting on the doorknob and turned towards the direction he come from, deciding to wait awhile before telling Motoki his devastating news.   
As Mamoru began to walk back home, he felt something soft hit the back of his head and quickly turned around, startled. His eyes widened at the sight before him-a petite girl with golden blond hair that cascaded down from two buns upon her head stood before him kicking angrily at some stray pebbles near her feet and muttering to herself.  
For some reason, the fact that the girl seemed oblivious to what she had just done rubbed up against him the wrong way, upsetting him further than he already was,and causing his calm façade to melt away. "Hey, watch it Odango Atama!""  
She whirled around with a startled "Huh?" and glanced at him with wide, sky-blue eyes. "Oh, sorry!" She shrugged apologetically.  
He raised an eyebrow at the girl, then glanced down at the crumpled test paper he was holding and cocked his head at the girl. "A thirty? Admirable." He smiled condescendingly down at her. "Are you stupid, or just incredibly lazy?"  
The wounds inside him smirked and danced in glee as the girl gasped, her face turning a rosy shade of pink before she got her bearings together and glared at him. "How dare you! Give me that!" She quickly swiped the paper out of his hands and stalked away, muttering to herself the whole time.  
Mamoru leaned contentedly against the stone wall of the arcade and stared after the angry girl's retreating back.   
A moment later, his satisfied smirk became a puzzled frown as he watched the girl glance back at him and momentarily meet his eyes before continuing to stalk away.  
Something about that girl…  
He started at the unwelcome thought before quickly pushing it out of his head, leaving room for other unwanted thoughts to resurface and make their presence known to Mamoru once more.  
*****  
That's all for now! You can email me at hunniebunny@aol.com. You can also visit my web page at www.sailormoonrose.mirrorz.com,   
and if you want to be the first to know when I'm going to post the next part of my story, subscribe to my list here:   
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Sailor_Moon_Rose_Updates  
This is an update only list. But I also have a list for everyone to joinin and talk or post fanfics! It's:http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Sailor_Moon_Rose  
  
The lines that just passed between Usagi and Mamoru? They were from the dubbed version of their first meeting..so they weren't mine.  
Oh! And, yes, I KNOW that doctors don't tell you information over the phone, but...I dunno, I just felt like doing it. ::shrugs::  
  
-¦- *:*.  
-¦- : * -¦-   
.' *  
*:. . *  
-¦- -¦-  
( Y ) ()_() *Bonnie-Chan*  
( )( )   
("(_o_)(_o_)") 


	3. *PART THREE*

A Place To Call Home  
Part Three  
By Bonnie-chan  
Email: hunniebunny@aol.com  
Web page: www.sailormoonrose.mirrorz.html  
Today is September 26, 2001  
  
DISCLAIMER: I just wanted to inform you that by selling my life away, I have indeed bought the rights to Sailor Moon, so it finally belongs to ME!!! ::jumps up and down belatedly before feeling a tap on the shoulder and slowly turning around:: Errrr......Hi, Naoko! I knew you were there the whole time, yup yup!! Okay, okay, so Sailor Moon STILL doesn't belong to me.....a fact which has me crying...However, this story DOES belong to me…and so do all of the characters that I made up! (Trust me, you'll know who they are!!!)  
  
More thank yous to everyone I've ever thanked! I'd also like to thank each and every person who has emailed me!! You put a smile on my face and make my whole day just a little bit brighter, you know? I'd also like to thank all the talented writers who will soon be appearing in my archives! You all rock, and it is an absolute HONOR to post your stories!  
  
Questions, comments? Email me here: hunniebunny@aol.com…and whether you liked it or hated it, could you pretty please send me feedback? I'm majoring in writing, and any type of feedback helps! Constructive criticism, a note telling me it was good, or even bad..whatever! I'd really appreciate it!  
Oh, and if you want to be the first to know when I'm going to post the next part of my story, subscribe to my list here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Sailor_Moon_Rose_Updates  
This is an update only list. But I also have a list for everyone to join in and talk or post fanfics! It's:  
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Sailor_Moon_Rose  
  
Now, on with the story!  
A Place To Call Home  
Part Three  
  
  
"I have a present for you, Mamoru."  
"What for?"  
"For being a wonderful grandson. You have no idea what wonders you have done for me." He handed him a square box wrapped in forest green wrapping paper and topped off with a matching bow.  
"It's heavy!" Mamoru slowly opened the gift, lifted the lid of the box, and laughed when he saw what was inside.  
"Wow, thank you Grandfather! I was just talking the other day about how I needed a new coat." He fingered the green fabric and smiled. "I'll definitely remember you when I wear this, Grandfather, it's green---your favorite color!"  
Yoki chuckled. "You have grown to like the color since you moved in here, haven't you? It grows on you, until eventually you value it more than any other color and can't remember a time when you didn't like it." He smiled merrily. "I even had a special nametag made to replace the one that came with it! I had it inscribed so that you would remember me forever."  
"I could never forget you, Grandfather!"  
"Well, that's good to know!" Yoki smiled, then bent over and began to cough.   
"Are you alright, Grandfather?"  
"Yes, Mamoru, I'm fine." Yoki smiled weakly at his grandson. "It's nothing to worry about, just the usual pain." He covered his mouth with his hand and coughed again, this time with more intensity than before.  
"Grandfather!?" Mamoru looked on worriedly until the coughs died down. "Are you alright?"  
"Mm-hmm." He grabbed a tissue from the carton on the coffee table and began to roll it in his hand. "Will you get me a glass of water, please?"  
"Of course!" Mamoru started to move out of the doorway, but stopped as he caught sight of a crimson-red liquid begin to pour down his grandfather's face.  
"Oh my god, Grandfather!" He grabbed the phone lying innocently on the coffee table and shakily dialed 911. He hurriedly described the situation, his words tumbling out one on top of the other, than sat and held his grandfather's hand until the ambulance arrived.  
~~~  
  
"Hey, Mamoru! How have you been? I haven't seen you around lately...how's your grandfather doing?"  
Mamoru glanced up at his best friend as he entered the arcade and grimaced. "He had his first hemorrhage last night. An ambulance had to come and take him to the hospital so that he could get a blood transfusion. Dr. Kismet says that this is going to start happening more frequently now that it's happened once, and that we should hire a live-in nurse to take care of him since he won't stay in the hospital, but you know my grandfather-stubborn as a rock that won't budge an inch." He shook his head in frustration. "He did agree to rent a hospital bed, though, so that will make his life a little easier."  
"Wow, Mamoru, that's awful."   
"I know."  
"You should do something nice for him, like take him out to do something he will remember forever, you know?"  
"Like what?"  
"I don't know. What are his favorite things to do?"  
"Hmmm…he loves baseball, Audrey Hepburn movies, singing old show tunes...especially in the rain…" he smiled softly as a memory of his grandfather twirling a green umbrella and waltzing through the rain singing off-key show tunes at the top of his lungs while happily splashing through puddles like a little kid pushed its way to the front of his mind. "He always talks about how much he loved his job as curator at the Juuban Musuem, and how much he misses it. He loves to read the newspaper on the toilet, he watches the news and yells at the anchormen like they can actually hear him…" He shook his head and chuckled. "He just…loves life. Everything about it." A melancholy smile crossed his face before he brought his fist crashing down onto the marble counter. "It's just not fair! He's still got so much to live for, he's not that old yet! He's being robbed of the one thing he loves more than anything else in this world-his life! It's just not fair!"  
Motoki put his arm reassuringly on Mamoru's shoulders. "Hey, calm down, Mamoru, it's all going to work out, you'll see. He'll be fine. A few months from now the two of you will be looking back on this incident and laughing about the fact that the normally impenetrable Chiba Mamoru had a nervous breakdown in the middle of the arcade."  
Mamoru looked up into his friend's concerned face and reluctantly felt the corners of his mouth curl into a tentative smile. "I sure hope you're right, Motoki…I sure hope you're right."  
"Aren't I always right?"  
Mamoru laughed nervously. "Well…"  
"Don't answer that. Hey, Mamoru?"  
"Yeah?"  
Motoki grinned lopsidedly and reached into the pocket of his apron, then pulled out a creamy white envelope, which he handed to the raven-haired man sitting across from him.  
Mamoru looked down at the envelope, which now rested in the palm of his hand, before glancing curiously up at his friend. "Motoki…what's this?"  
"Open it."  
Mamoru gave him another curious look before slowly breaking the seal on the envelope and pulling out two ivory colored tickets. He held them up closer to his face and read aloud,  
  
You are cordially invited to the private unveiling of   
Yumeno Yumemi's Gallery Extravaganza  
This invitation gives the bearer access to the exhibit before   
it is opened to the public  
Friday, June 23rd, 2001  
at 8 o' clock pm  
in the Da Vinci wing of the Juuban Musuem  
  
He looked up from the ticket and into Motoki's smiling face. "Nani…?"  
"My dad won them in a raffle at work and gave them to me because he already had plans for the evening. He figured I could take Reika or something, but I would much rather have you go with your grandfather, Mamoru." He shrugged casually. "Besides, the two of you will have much more fun looking at the exhibit then I ever would!"  
Mamoru smiled at the thoughtfulness of his friend before slowly slipping the tickets back into the envelope and tucking it into the pocket of his new jacket.  
"Hey, you finally got a new jacket!"  
"Yes, my grandfather gave it to me…right before he began hemorrhaging."  
Motoki winced. "Sorry…"  
"It's not your fault, it's just the way things are." He zipped up his jacket and stood up, heading outside. "See you later, Motoki."  
He heard his friend reply, but didn't bother to turn around as he let the arcade door slam shut behind him. A moment later he felt a warm body crash into him and sighed internally, knowing without looking that it was the same girl he had begun crashing into on a daily basis. "You really should start looking where you're going, Odango. One of these days you're going to plow into somebody who's not half as nice as I am, and then you'll really be in trouble!"  
Usagi's eyes widened and the apology sitting on the tip of her tongue quickly became an insult. "Anyone would be nicer than you, Baka!"  
"Don't be too sure about that."  
"You're the one who seems overly confident around here, Chiba!"  
"You're the one who's too naïve for her own good!"  
"Huh?"  
Mamoru laughed condescendingly as he stared down at the fuming girl who stood mere inches away from him. "Maybe if you actually paid attention in school instead of daydreaming about nonsensical little oddities, you'd actually understand what people were saying to you…but then you'd be able to hold proper conversations like a civilized person, and you'd lose your ape-like heritage and be shunned from the family, and we can't have that, now can we?"  
Usagi's eyes narrowed into two tiny slits. "Excuse me?"  
"I don't think it's possible to break that down any more than I just did, Odango. Of course, your ignorance just goes to prove my point."  
"Did you just call me an ape?"  
"Not precisely, but-"  
Mamoru's words were cut off as a swift pain swept across his face, disappearing as fast as it had appeared. He looked at the blond before him in shock. "Don't you ever do that again."  
"Or else what? You'll hit me back? Oh, I'm so scared!"  
Mamoru stared at her in disgust. "I would never hit anybody, Odango…even you. It is never right to harm another human being, no matter what the reason." With that, he wiped his face clear of any emotions whatsoever and angrily brushed past the shell-shocked girl, quickly heading home.  
~~~  
Mamoru muttered to himself in frustration as he slowly unlocked the apartment door and walked inside. "I'm home, Grandfather!" His forehead wrinkled in concern when there was no answer. "Grandfather? Where are you?" He headed through the kitchen towards the living room.  
Once there, he gasped in surprise. The coffee table had tipped over and now lay on top of his grandfather, who lay stiffly on the ground. "Grandfather!?" He rushed towards where the elderly man lay and reached for his wrist to take his pulse. He breathed in relief as he felt the pulse of his heart, though it was slower than usual.   
He slowly removed his hand and reached for the phone, which lay haphazardly on the floor, beeping incessantly. He hung it up to re-activate it, then quickly called 911 for the second time that week.  
~~~  
That's all for now! You can email me at hunniebunny@aol.com. You can also visit my web page at www.sailormoonrose.mirrorz.com  
  
-¦- *:*.  
-¦- : * -¦-   
.' *  
*:. . *  
-¦- -¦-  
( Y ) ()_() *Bonnie-Chan*  
( )( )   
("(_o_)(_o_)") 


	4. *PART FOUR*

Today is October10, 2001  
A Place To Call Home  
Part Four  
By Bonnie-Chan  
Email: hunniebunny@aol.com  
Web page: http://www.sailormoonrose.mirrorz.com  
  
DISCLAIMER: Today I have generously loaned my Mamo-Chan to Siggy…happy birthday dear! ^_^ …………too bad it's only a picture, after all, the real Mamo-Chan belongs to Naoko-hime, as do all her other wonderful characters! (Of course, all the additional characters belong to me, as does this story!...and if you can't tell the 'real' characters from my own, then I feel so incredibly sorry for you!)   
  
Today is my buddy Siggy's Birthday! Sigs, I'm dedicating this chapter to you! I even put it out today just for you! (Yes, you SHOULD feel special…but you still can't have my Tamahome…..OR myMamo-Chan!!! OR NAKAGO! No, bad girl! Don't even think of him! Bad, bad! Stick to the dreamy heroes, not the dastardly villains! ::grin:: )   
  
To anyone who wants to read Siggy's wonderful story, you can find it on my webpage here: www.angelfire.com/anime3/rose/Moonie1Fanfics.html  
It is soooooo cute! And then email her to write more ASAP!!! : D  
  
I'd like to thank all of the wonderful people who are posting my story on their sites, who have emailed me, and who have reviewed me (BonnieChan) on Fanfiction.net. I'd also like to thank all the wonderful authors whose stories will soon be in my archives…hopefully by the end of the month!  
Questions, comments? Email me! Hunniebunny@aol.com…and whether you liked it or hated it, could you pretty please send me feedback? I'm majoring in writing, and any type of feedback helps! Constructive criticism, a note telling me if it was good, or even bad..whatever! I'd really appreciate it!   
Oh, and if you want to be the first to know when I'm going to post the next part of my story, subscribe to my list here:   
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Sailor_Moon_Rose_Updates  
This is an update only list. But I also have a list for everyone to join in and talk or post fanfics! It's:  
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Sailor_Moon_Rose  
  
Now, on with the story!  
  
A Place To Call Home  
Part Four  
  
"Chiba Mamoru?"  
Mamoru quickly stood up and shook hands with the white-haired doctor that had just walked into the waiting room.  
"How is my grandfather, Dr. Kismet? Will he be alright?"  
"It seems that he had a stroke, Mamoru. A sad look entered his eyes, but was quickly vanquished. "We took a cat-scan and found a tumor growing in his brain."  
"What?"  
"We're going to have to keep him here for a while under observation."  
"Can I see him?"  
"Not tonight. He is in intensive care right now, and visiting hours are over for the day." He held up a hand to stop Mamoru's protests. "There's nothing you can do to help him tonight anyway. Go home and get some rest-You'll need it if you're going to be haunting this place all day tomorrow." He smiled gently. "You can come back at 9 a.m. tomorrow, alright?"  
Mamoru nodded once in defeat. "Thank you for helping him, doctor. I guess I'll see you tomorrow then."  
"Goodnight, Mamoru."  
They shook hands once more, then Mamoru turned and slowly left the hospital. Instead of heading home, however, he headed towards the lake at Juuban Park, where he sat on the edge of the dock, skimming the water with the tip of his shoes, his eyes trained unseeingly on the rising moon as his mind lost itself in memories.  
"Mamoru, what's wrong?"  
Mamoru started as his concentration was broken, and he glared up at the girl who had dared to interrupt his thoughts. "What do you want, Usagi?" He spoke harshly, using her as a vessel to unleash his pent-up anger.  
She huffed indignantly. "I just wanted to know if you were all right---not that you care or anything. In fact, I don't even know why I care! Especially after the way you made fun of me this morning! Why do I care?" She shook her head angrily. "You know what? I don't care at all, Mamoru, my brain just experienced a temporary case of insanity!" She scowled and spun around on the rickety dock.  
"Usagi, wait."  
She turned around slowly. "Why, so that you can harass me some more?"  
Mamoru clenched his teeth in aggravation. "Never mind."  
"No, you've intrigued me now. What is it that you wanted to say? Something must be wrong---you haven't called me Odango Atama once since I got here! What's wrong, Mamoru?"  
"Nothing! Alright? I'm perfectly fine, and I don't need you to worry about me…Odango Atama."  
Usagi's face flushed a bright red and she quickly stomped away.   
Mamoru stared at her retreating back, but didn't feel any better than he had before she showed up.  
He stared bitterly at the curled up paper that had fallen out of Usagi's book bag before reluctantly picking it up. "Hey, Usagi?"  
Usagi stopped at the edge of the dock, but didn't turn around. "What do you want now, Mamoru?"  
"You dropped something." He slowly stood up and headed to the end of the dock, where he handed the paper to Usagi, but not before inadvertently glimpsing the red writing scrawled across the top. "A 52%? You failed another test?" The anger inside Mamoru boiled up and over once more. "You know, you really have to straighten up your act…but what more can be expected from someone like you?"  
Usagi narrowed her eyes. "What are you talking about?"  
"Your type is so typical-you're not fooling me, you know, so you can drop the innocent act any time now."  
Her eyes flashed angrily. And exactly what, pray tell, would you define as my type?  
"Besides being the stereotypical blond-haired, blue-eyed girl? You're lazy and you don't try to succeed at anything. You always have people fawning all over you and you're too impulsive—you never have a plan in life. How's that for starters?"  
She shrugged her shoulders in defeat. "You're absolutely right. You know me too well, Mamoru." She looked up into his cerulean eyes and took a step forwards, her eyes becoming steel. "You know, Mamoru, two can play at this game. I'm not the only one in the world who can be figured out in a minute. You also fit a stereotype-you're the dark, mysterious figure, what with your ebony hair and your dark blue eyes. You keep everything bottled up inside, and you never let anything faze you out. You're programmed to be perfect at whatever you do-you will never settle for 99% or less. You have no true close friends, for your personality is too cold, and you shun people away from you. I mean, you even close out Motoki half the time, and he's supposed to be your best friend! It's like you don't want to open yourself up and share what's inside with the rest of the world---you'd rather keep it all locked up inside of you, throwing away the key to a place where nobody can reach. You have your whole life planned out, and, sadly, you're going to follow that plan for the rest of your life, and you'll never do anything spur-of-the-moment because you're too afraid of what might happen." She turned on her heel and stomped angrily through the mud and up the pathway that led out of the park, leaving a befuddled Mamoru staring blindly after her retreating back.  
~~~  
So, email me and tell me what youthink! Hunniebunny@aol.com  
If you want to be the first to know whenI'm going to post the next part of my story, subscribe to my list here:  
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Sailor_Moon_Rose_Updates  
This is an update only list. But I also have a list for everyone to joinin and talk or post fanfics! It's:  
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Sailor_Moon_Rose  
  
-¦- *:*.  
-¦- : * -¦-   
.' *  
*:. . *  
-¦- -¦-  
( Y ) ()_() *Bonnie-Chan*  
( )( )   
("(_o_)(_o_)") 


	5. *PART FIVE*

A Place To Call Home  
Part Five  
By Bonnie-Chan  
Email: hunniebunny@aol.com  
Web page: http://www.sailormoonrose.mirrorz.com  
Today is: November 10, 2001  
  
Hey everyone! I know, I know, it's been TOO long...I could give you excuses about my midterms and stuff, but I won't. I worked out that glitch I came across in the story, and decided that if I work the remainder of the story right, it won't be a problem after all, so I don't need to change a thing! Talk about a relief!  
Now, no one has mentioned this to me, but you might, so let me clear something up. This story doesn't have Sailor Moon or Tuxedo Kamen, I didn't think it fit into what I was trying to create. As some of you have noticed, I am replaying actual show events to show what was happening (well, in this story, anyway!)...the same things, but no enemies. From here on out, I'm still going to use some events, but like I mentioned before, I hit a glitch when I realized that the last chapter I put out came too soon! So that means that the rest of the storyline is going to be a bit messed up...I'm going to try and keep it true, yet at the same time it WILL be different...about as different as it already is, lol! That's just some FYI I thought you, my loyal readers (who have come this far...I'm impressed! Thanks for the support!)!  
Yes, I know this chapter is relatively short...it's because of the break point. The next chapter is longer, about 12 pages! I COULD break it up...but I won't...it goes together. And for the first time since July, my writer's block on this story is over! I finally have an idea for Chapter Seven! Yay!!!! Here's to more chapters soon!  
The archives are coming to my website SOON! There are currently 26 authors aboard. I just finished uploading all the chapters to various webpages to convert them over to Angelfire. I am currently about to begin the process of linking each and every story...and there are quite a few! Aside from this monster feat, all that needs to be done is to get summaries on the stories, and ratings for them! I've had to beg people to help me with this job-Thanks to the four wonderful people who deemed themselves worthy to help me! Bryn, Gaz, Mara, Zan...you four are going to be my life savers! I swear!   
^_^ Thanks again, you'll never know what a help you are! ^_^  
I'd also like to thank Silver Sailor Moon for all of her help and support when I was writing my Halloween story last week! I forgot to mention you, dear, I'm sorry! But I'm making up for it now! Thanks so much, you're an angel in disguise, I SWEAR!!!  
Okay, okay, enough yakking.....bet you really want me to shut up so you can read, right? Well, wish granted!  
DISCLAIMER: Sailor Moon? Not mine. But boy, I wish Mamo-Chan was mine! ^_~ Too bad Naoko-hime won't sell him to me!  
Now, on with the story!  
  
A Place To Call Home  
Chapter Five  
~~~  
That night, Mamoru twisted and turned uneasily in his sleep, experiencing nightmare after nightmare until he finally woke up in a cold sweat with three hours to kill before he had to be at the hospital.   
He slowly got up, took a shower, and ate breakfast before heading outside and walking aimlessly around town before coming to the park where he had fought with Usagi the night before. He headed down the bank towards the lake and sat on a nearby bench, where he watched the golden sun shyly peek its head out from above the lake before surging forwards into the sky, lighting its path of ascension with glorious shades of pink and orange. He watched the colors melt into the increasingly bright blue sky, and the fluffy white clouds come out of hiding to frolic in the sky with one another once more, while the golden sun smiled down upon all the activity from its throne like a loving mother.  
So entranced was he by this simple, yet elaborate play that the heavens were performing for the world to see, yet seemed to be viewed solely for him-telling him to cheer up and be happy, as if he ever could again-that he failed to see the shadow that appeared before him. It came closer, mixing with his own shadow, until the owner of the shadow stood still and spoke.   
"It's going to be a beautiful day, don't you think?"  
Mamoru started in surprise, blinking as he focused his stormy blue eyes on the solemn girl standing before him. "It looks that way."  
"I couldn't sleep very well last night, and I woke up waaay before I normally do and couldn't get back to sleep, so…I just decided to walk around for a while." She paused as she looked thoughtfully at the young man standing before her. "It's a gorgeous day out, Mamoru, an omen sent from God to tell us to make up, for no one should stay angry on so beautiful a day. The day has just begun, and it's time to start anew-after all, there must have been a reason for us to meet up here this morning!" She chewed at her lip for a moment, preparing what she wanted to say.   
"I didn't mean what I said last night, Mamoru. I was hurt by your words, even though I knew they weren't true, and I wanted to retaliate. So I became this sarcastic person, and lashed out at you. I didn't mean to rip you apart like that, honest."  
"I didn't mean what I said either, Usagi. I was just lost in my thoughts, then you came along, and the sadistic side inside of me came out, and thought that by inflicting pain on you, the wounds inside of me would be soothed."  
"Did it work?"  
"No, I just felt worse afterwards. I'm really sorry, Usagi."  
"Me too. But, Mamoru…I do know more than you may think. That's one thing you-and a lot of other people-have never given me enough credit for. I saw what pain you were in yesterday before you closed me out. You can't quickly shove every person you'll ever meet out the door without giving them a chance out of fear, Mamoru. You have to shape up or you'll live a miserable life."  
"What are you talking about?"  
"Would you like to know what I really see, Mamoru? I see a scared little boy who is hiding from the world. He's too afraid to come out and let his feelings show." She looked him in the eye. I see a boy who puts others down and berates the qualities he likes the most about them because he's jealous-he's jealous because they have what he wants in life. So this little boy, he thrives on bringing these people down along with him. But you know what, Mamoru? You won't gain anything in life by bringing others down. If anything, you'll go down right along with them." She shook her head.   
"You have to learn to cope with your emotions, Mamoru. Yet you cover them like a mask, concealing what you truly feel and replacing it with a cool, nonchalant façade. If you don't take off your mask, you'll live a miserable life." Usagi shrugged helplessly. "I'm sorry, Mamoru…I didn't mean to be so blunt. I'll just leave you alone now, I'm sorry." She turned towards the path she had come from and began to walk away.  
"Usagi?"  
She turned her head. "Yes, Mamoru?"  
"You were right. Thank you."  
She smiled sadly. "You don't need to thank me, really---I was too harsh, I shouldn't have said-"  
"You saw right through me, Usagi. How?"  
"I don't know…I've always been a little more perceptive than other people…"  
"Are you telepathic?"  
"No…I just saw your eyes."  
"My…eyes?"  
"The eyes are the window to the soul. I read your eyes, Mamoru. I saw into your soul while your guard was down-that's probably the first time you've ever let your guard down around me." She smiled sadly.  
"You saw all that?"  
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have-"  
"You were right…and you weren't. I suppose I do torment you out of jealously for what you have that I don't, yet at the same time, I don't truly hate you, for I am also in awe of what you have." He frowned before continuing. "Another reason I continually snap at you is because you show up at the most inopportune times. Every time I've seen you since and including the day I met you, I've been angry and upset with other things on my mind. I've snapped at you to try to heal those wounds. The worst time was last night, followed by the day I met you for the first time."  
"Oh!" Usagi's eyes softened in concern. "Do you want to talk about it?"   
"Not right now, I'm really not ready to-I can't even tell Motoki half of the stuff going through my mind…you were right yesterday, I do shut him out. I'm just going through some things that I have to work through myself right now…but thanks for asking." He looked solemnly at the blond standing before him. "So, what do you think, can we finally call a truce? Can we put aside our differences and actually become friends?"  
Usagi chewed at her lip a moment before responding. "We can call a truce, Mamoru…but we can't be friends, at least…not today, and not tomorrow. Maybe someday, but not now. I can't truly trust you, not yet, even though you've shown me more of yourself today than you ever did before. Without trust, a person has nothing in life. We can finally call a truce, though; we can finally become civil towards one another and finally take a step in the right direction, instead of the two steps backwards that we've become accustomed to."  
Mamoru nodded slowly, absorbing her words. "I don't deserve your trust, Usagi. I've done too many awful things to you. But I definitely do want to call a truce." He held out his hand and she slowly took it, sealing the deal with a shake of the hand.  
"Don't feel sad, Mamoru, you have the power to change things and become what you want to be in life. You've finally taken step in the right direction-you've begun to control your own destiny, instead of letting it control you. You've taken the first step tonight by finally coming clean with your emotions." She smiled softly.   
"Don't think that I'm cold-hearted, Mamoru. I just need to be able to trust the people I associate with-and someday, maybe you will too. And, Mamoru? To ease your soul, I don't totally mistrust you-after all, you did come clean with yourself 


	6. *PART SIX*

A Place To Call Home  
Part Six  
By Bonnie-Chan  
Email: hunniebunny@aol.com  
Web page: http://www.sailormoonrose.mirrorz.com  
Today is: December 8, 2001  
  
Yay, the next part is here! This is the last part I had written in July, and like I said before, I have an idea for the next chapter! As soon as finals are out of the way, I'm gonna get to work, promise! And I have until January 22nd when classes start again to write more! I have several stories to work on over break...some are multiparters! Whoo-hoo! And, also...I just did this MONSTER project for my writing class...it's in script format but I have to rework it to a novel form to try and publish anyway...it's "Sleeping Beauty" like you've NEVER seen it before!!! So, do y'all think I should publish it at my website and fanfiction.net, or no? Is there anyone even willing to read it? I may just keep it to myself awhile, ya know? But if y'all wanna read it......::grin::  
Anyways, as for my second Christmas story? I know, I know....I honestly don't know that I'll get it out this year. My writing project took a LOT out of me, and I still have finals..then I go home, and my computer access will be all screwy cuz of the computer...I don't know how often I'll be able to get on ::poutpout::  
But, I'll try, promise. I can't guarantee it though.  
Anyways, let me stop jabbering, and read the latest installment in APTCH! It's a bit longer then the last couple, finally! Yay!  
  
Thanks to everyone who has emailed me and reviewed me...you rock! You really make my day, whenever I see a review, no matter how small! Thanks so much! You leave me smiling all day!  
  
Happy Holidays Everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And since I'm in the holiday spirit, this chapter is light-hearted and not as somber as its predecessors, yay! I figured, it's time for a Happy Mamo-Chan~ ^_~ ^_^ ~_^  
  
Disclaimer: On the first day of Christmas, Naoko gave to me...a Mamo-Chan in a black cape! I wish, right? ::backs away nervously:: It was just a song, he doesn't REALLY belong to me........he belongs to Usagi! Usagi!........oh, and Naoko, too.........darn...........they make a cuter couple anyway! ^_^  
  
~~~~~~~~~  
A Place To Call Home  
Part Six  
~~~~~~~~~  
"Wow, Usagi, I'm surprised that you fit into that dress what with the way you're always stuffing your face."  
Usagi whirled around in surprise, her eyes narrowing at the man standing before her. "You know, Mamoru, for a guy who is so disgustingly perfect that he never does less than perfect in school, you sure don't seem to have a really good daily-life memory, do you? Your memory must be so chock-full of statistics and formulas that there's no room for anything that isn't school-related to be absorbed and remembered. After all, it was only this morning that we called a truce, yet here you are, less than 24 hours later, acting as though it never happened."  
Mamoru held up his hands in surrender. "Next time let me finish before you start flipping out on me. It would be wrong for me to compliment you before I tease you."  
Usagi rolled her eyes. "Oh, of course. How could I possibly have forgotten?"  
He shrugged his shoulders and smiled innocently. "Beats me, I mean, how could you possible forget anything about me?"  
"Oh, it's a bit easier than you may think."  
"Now that bullet hit a whole lot harder than the last one did."  
"Good."  
"It's alright, though, I didn't expect you to remember everything about me anyway. You never have before, so why start now? To actually expand your mind? What a tragedy that would be!"  
"Why, you little-"  
Mamoru laughed as he watched Usagi quickly advanced towards him, then held out his hand when she was only inches away, effectively causing her voice to die down mid-rant. He gestured towards her dress and raised an eyebrow. "Be careful in that dress, Usagi, otherwise you might trip and hurt yourself."  
"Gee, thanks a lot, Mamoru."  
"I'm serious, Usagi. It's such a pretty dress. I would hate to see it get ruined, and I'm sure that you would, too."  
Usagi looked down at the dark maroon dress she was wearing and frowned. "I guess you're right."  
"Of course I am. After all, I am the 'disgustingly-perfect' Mamoru, am I not?"  
"Yeah…" Usagi bit at the inside of her lip to keep from laughing and quickly changed the subject. "So, Mamoru, what brings you to the fair?"  
"Why, I came to see you, of course."  
"Of course you did. I can see that you brought your over-inflated ego along to the fair as well, ne?"  
"Usagi, whenever I'm around you, my ego acquires this absurd tendency to deflate."  
"Huh?"  
He laughed at her perplexed expression and shook his head. "Never mind." He smiled down at the petite girl standing before him. "So, Usagi, I didn't know that you had a job here at the fair."  
She shrugged her shoulders. "There are a lot of things that you don't know about me, Mamoru."  
"Well, maybe in the future I'll learn more about you. We've never truly given each other much of a chance, have we? We've always been too busy going at each other's throats."  
"Now that we've called a truce, maybe things will change."  
"Things will only change if we let them change, Usagi. So, what do you think? Are you willing to let go of your pride and make amends? I know I am."  
She nodded slowly. "Alright, Mamoru. If you're willing to change, then so am I."  
He smiled, and his face lit up with an uncommon display of joy.  
"Wow, Mamoru, you should smile more. It gives your face character."  
He raised an eyebrow. "Coming from you, I'll take that as a compliment."  
"Mamoru!"  
"Okay, okay, I'm sorry." He smiled again, though this time, it didn't quite reach his now-somber eyes.  
"How about we start over again and really give this truce a chance?"  
"Start over?"  
"From the beginning." He held out his hand. "Hello, my name is Chiba Mamoru."  
She giggled softly before slowly shaking his hand. "Hello Mamoru, my name is Tsukino Usagi."  
"It's very nice to meet you, Usagi." He smiled down at her. "So, Usagi, what brings you to the fair?"  
"I have a job here. I play the part of a noble girl in King Arthur's court. Basically, I just walk around the grounds and mingle with all the people. It's a good thing I'm not camera-shy because everyone is always coming up to me to get a picture taken! I also have a small role in the play that the fair puts on every night."  
"That sounds really interesting."  
"It really is. What about you, Mamoru? What brings you to the fair?"  
"To tell you the truth, I didn't particularly want to come here, but my so-called best friend conspired with my grandfather to bring me here and give me something to do besides mope around doing nothing. My grandfather guilt-tripped me into going, then Motoki swung by and dragged me here."  
"I never knew you lived with your grandfather."  
"There was never a reason for you to know."  
"Oh." Usagi paused, sensing that Mamoru didn't want to talk about his grandfather, and quickly changed the subject. "So you snuck away and ditched Motoki to come see/visit me?"  
"I wish, but no, he had to go the bathroom, and I just happened to run into you while I was waiting for him to come back. He'll show up sooner or later."  
"Mamoru, there you are! I never would have expected you of all people to wander away!" A girl with a wavy red ponytail stormed over to Mamoru, scowling angrily.  
"I only walked a few feet away to say hello to someone, Unazuki."  
She pouted in annoyance. "Still!"  
"So, what happened to Motoki, anyway? Did you finally succeed to finally push him over the edge of insanity?"  
She shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly. "I don't know what happened to him, and I really don't care, either."  
"I'm sure you don't."  
The girl turned around and flushed a rosy red. "Ummm…oops?"  
A tall young man with buttery blond hair raised an eyebrow condescendingly at the embarrassed girl before him.  
"Now there's a look you must have picked up from Mamoru. I hate to say it, Motoki, but that look really doesn't bode well for/with you. It makes you look so…mean, and you don't have a mean bone in your body!"  
Motoki turned his head to the left, and a warm smile flitted across his face as he noticed the girl who was standing beside Mamoru. "Tsukino Usagi, what in the world are you doing here? I haven't seen you in ages!"  
Usagi giggled lightly. "I'm working, actually. That's why I haven't been around much lately."  
"Well, who would have guessed? Our little Usagi is growing up so fast!" He leaned his left hand lightly on Mamoru's shoulder and wiped away an imaginary tear with his other hand.  
Usagi wrinkled her nose and stuck her tongue out at Motoki.  
"You really have been hanging around Mamoru too much!" She giggled playfully.  
"So, what about you, Motoki? What brings you to the fair?"  
"Well, I got connived into going by my devil of a sister, and I though that it was only fair to drag Mamoru along with me-after all misery loves company, ne? Besides, Mamoru has been spending way too much time cooped up inside lately, and I felt that it was my duty as his best friend to drag him outside before he turns into a vampire."  
Mamoru grimaced and looked pleadingly at Usagi. "Now do you see why I had to get away for a while?"  
Usagi giggled again. "As much as I hate to leave you here in agony, Mamoru, I'm afraid that I have no other choice."  
"You're a very sadistic person, Usagi. To turn on me now after berating me for teasing you after calling a truce? What a hypocrite."  
Usagi rolled her eyes. "Cut the melodrama, Mamoru, you're no good at it. Now, if you'll excuse me, I really do have to get back to work." She looked past Mamoru's shoulders at the young man standing before him. "Motoki, Unazuki, it was nice to see you again. Maybe I'll see you again later tonight. The play starts at 7 p.m. in the Enchanted Grove's amphitheater. You're all welcome to come. I'm sorry that I can't stay longer, but I really do have to get back to work." She smiled apologetically before whirling around and scurrying off, quickly disappearing into the throng of people enjoying the fair.  
Motoki raised an eyebrow inquisitively at Mamoru. "So you two finally decided to play nice and get along?"  
"Mm-hmm."  
Motoki smiled cheerfully. "I'm very proud of you."  
Mamoru rolled his eyes. "Thanks, I was really looking for your approval."  
"I know."  
"Guys, can we go eat now? Please? I'm starving!"  
Motoki laughed at his sister and nodded, then the three of them headed off in search of a concession stand.  
~~~  
"The crowd really seemed to like us tonight, didn't they?"  
Usagi smiled at the brown-haired girl walking beside her. "Yeah, they did. That's the most receptive audience we've had all month!"  
"It's really a rush, isn't it?"  
"Yeah." Usagi smiled wistfully. "It's hard to believe that as of Monday, this will all be over. Whatever will we do with ourselves?"  
"We'll sit back, relax, and enjoy our vacation, of course!"  
Usagi smiled mischievously. "You forgot something, Naoko { }."   
"What's that?"  
"We won't have to worry about homework! School, either, for that matter!"  
Naoko raised an eyebrow. "Like you would worry about your school work any other day."  
Usagi turned and wrinkled her nose at Naoko, then smashed into somebody and began apologizing immediately. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to run into you, honest!" She looked up to see who she had hit this time, and quickly backed away to where Naoko stood with a hand covering her mouth, trying hard not to laugh.  
"So you've decided to walk into innocent trees now, have you?"  
Usagi spun around and glared at Mamoru, who had appeared out of nowhere.  
"It was an accident, Mamoru, and technically, I did apologize to the tree." She tossed her head indignantly. "Where did you come from, anyway?  
Mamoru stared calmly down at the flushed girl standing before him. "I came from my mother's stomach, Odango. Now you, I'm not so sure about. Your manners indicates that you were quite possibly raised by wolves."  
"Very funny, Mamoru, especially the Odango part-I thought that maybe after all that's happened recently, you'd finally remember my name."  
"I remember it, but Odango just seems to fit you better."  
"Mamoru!"  
"It's a cute nickname, Usagi! And he's right, it really does suit you!"  
Usagi glared at Naoko. "Traitor!"  
"So, Usagi, who's your friend? Are you going to introduce us, or keep standing here being rude?"  
"For you, Mamoru, I always have time to be rude. But since you asked so nicely, this is Naoko. She also plays the part of a noble girl in King Arthur's court."  
"Speaking of which, you did a very nice job out there tonight."  
"Thanks…" She eyed him suspiciously, wondering what trick lay in store for her next.  
"I'm serious, Usagi. You're not a bad actress at all…in fact, you're pretty good!" He smiled at her, and she hesitantly smiled back before frowning again.  
"This is just a ruse so that I'll forget I asked you a question, isn't it? Well, sorry, Mamoru, but I'm not falling for it this time. What are you doing, stalking me or something?"  
"Actually, I've been waiting here for you to come out from backstage so that I could say hello and you did a good job. We all came to see you."  
"We?"  
"Yeah, Motoki and Unazuki are here, but they had to go to the bathroom when the play ended. They're going to meet us here when they're done."  
"You waited for me?"  
"Mm-hmm. I could hear you coming from a mile away, too! You and your friends always have the loudest conversations!"  
"You were listening to us?"  
"I wasn't eavesdropping on you, I just happened to overhear you."  
"Same difference."  
"Not really. Besides, I didn't hear any of your secrets, so don't worry…let's see, the first thing I heard was, 'The crowd really seemed to like us tonight, don't you think?' See, nothing embarrassing."  
Usagi shook her head. "I don't know what I'm going to do with you, Mamoru."   
"Who said you had to do anything?"  
She opened her mouth to respond, but was cut off by a voice behind her.  
"Hey, Usagi, you did a great job out there!"  
Usagi turned and smiled at Motoki. "Thank you."  
"Do you need a ride home?"   
"I was actually planning to walk…"  
"You can't walk home in the dark!"  
"Why not? I have every other time I've worked here."  
"Well, not tonight, I'll drive you home."  
"You don't have to."  
"But I will because you're my friend. So, are you ready to go?"  
"Yeah…" She turned towards Naoko. "I'll see you on Monday, Naoko!"  
"Alright, have a good day off tomorrow."  
"You too!" She turned and began walking off the fair grounds with Motoki, Mamoru, and Unazuki.  
"Do you work here a lot?" Motoki asked as they reached his car and he unlocked the door.  
"I work every other day. The management schedules us that way so that we can have a day to recuperate-at first, it really killed me to walk around all day, not to mention the fact that I have to be up early in the morning and get home after midnight!"  
Motoki chuckled and turned towards Mamoru, who sat beside him in the passenger seat. "So, Mamoru, are you coming back to my house for awhile or going home and crashing?"  
"Actually, do you think you could drop me off at the hospital? I want to check in on my grandfather and make sure that he's okay."  
"Uh, Mamoru? It's after midnight, and visiting hours were over a long time ago."  
"I know, but-"  
"They're not going to let you in there, so don't even think about it."  
"We have to go there anyway, Motoki. I left my grandfather's car in the parking lot when you came to get me."   
"Fine, I'll drop you off, but I'm going to follow you to make sure you get home alright."  
"You don't have to do that."  
"But I'm going to anyway."  
Motoki pulled into the hospital's parking lot, found the car, and Mamoru reluctantly got out, searching through his pockets until he found his keys, then slamming Motoki's car door shut and opening his own. He stuck the key in the engine and slowly drove away, watching Motoki's headlights through his rearview mirror all the way home.  
~~~  
So, what did ya think, what did ya think? In the name of the holidays, please tell me.......please? It would be a WONDERFUL gift to know what you think!  
You can email hunniebunny@aol.com, or leave a review at fanfiction.net ^_^  
Ja ne, and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
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( Y ) ()_() *Bonnie-Chan*  
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("(_o_)(_o_)")  



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